The Cherry Tree Arms is now open
Cherry Tree House, in Romiley, Stockport, has officially opened ‘The Cherry Tree Arms,’ an authentic in-house pub, complete with working pumps, designed to help residents continue to enjoy familiar experiences and simple pleasures that make everyday life meaningful. Created entirely by team and family members, it also involved residents who brought their former professional skills to the mix, facilitating some extraordinary meaningful ‘magic moments’ that brought to the fore previously forgotten skills such as painting and decorating and pub management.
For people living with advancing dementia, a visit to a local pub may not always be easy. Recognising how much this ordinary part of community life can be missed, team members created their own within the home. Filled with local memorabilia and carefully designed details, The Cherry Tree Arms gives visitors the feeling of stepping into a traditional local.
The vision, planning, design and hands-on transformation were undertaken by a small group of dedicated individuals, who completed the work to the required safety standards and finishes. Often giving extra time after their normal duties to bring the project to completion, creating a result of which the whole team can be enormously proud.
Special thanks go to Assistant Psychologist Kelsey Mills, Wellbeing Lead Kirsty Martin and Wellbeing Coordinator Rachel Hallsor, who worked alongside the home’s volunteers to think through every detail and turn the idea into reality. Volunteer John Doran contributed invaluable time, kindness and hard work, while HCA Danni designed and created the custom bar sign.
Cherry Tree House also thanked Manchester-based Stoolz and Seatz for generously upholstering the pub’s stools and chairs at no cost, as well as everyone who supported the project through donations of furniture from local pubs, discounts, encouragement and volunteering. The achievement reflects a simple belief: it takes a community to build a community.
At the official opening on Friday 16 October, the team invited Home Manager Rachel Howard to cut the ribbon. They recognised her support from the project’s earliest stages: trusting their vision, believing in the process, lending a hand whenever needed and giving them the freedom and encouragement to bring their ideas to life.
Rachel officially opened the bar and delivered a heartfelt speech recognising and thanking the team for everything they had achieved together. The senior team at L&M Healthcare head office have been so impressed with this project that they have nominated the team for a Stars of Dementia Care award.
Managing Director Jeanne Davies said “This is a wonderful addition to Cherry Tree House; it really is amazing to see the younger generation giving so much back to older people. I’m immensely proud of the team at CTH, they had a vision and made it reality.’
The team at Cherry Tree House should be immensely proud of themselves for creating this superb environment.
